183: Was Ruan Qingshu the Emperor of the Underworld?

[Because the Empire was newly founded...]

[You, who only knew how to kill and fight, knew nothing about politics.]

[Nor did you have any experience governing a world.]

[But you were different from a normal emperor; in the Pan-Human United Empire you established,]

[You were the absolute authority, the supreme Emperor!]

[In these myriad heavens where strength reigned supreme, the Mythic Rank was the best deterrent!]

[Therefore, you could boldly delegate power, leaving professional matters to those professional talents.]

[You were only responsible for nodding during the final step.]

[There was absolutely no need to worry about subordinates deserting or rebelling.]

[After all, after devouring the Eleven Pillar Gods of the Desolate God Realm, you had already reached the Mythic Middle Stage!]

[Sitting at the center, your perception could sweep across the entire Desolate God Realm.]

[Even though the Desolate God Realm was many times larger than Blue Star!]

[On this day, the biological father of your capable general came to seek an audience.]

["Greetings, Your Supreme Eminence!"]

[He brought good news.]

[With your help, he had successfully completed the Legendary Rank advancement quest.]

[Now, he could freely craft Legendary tier items and equipment.]

[He even stated that as long as the quality of the Materials was good enough and he practiced a few more times,]

[He should be able to forge ordinary Mythical Grade equipment as well!]

[You personally didn't need Mythical Grade equipment, but your subordinates did!]

[Especially Ruan Qingshu, this very capable subordinate; it was precisely because of her existence]

[That you could be so relaxed every day, without having to worry or fret over alien rebellions and matters of other Otherworlds!]

[You watched silently as this middle-aged man, whose head was filled only with thoughts of smithing and forging divine weapons,]

[Waved your hand and gave him a Mythic Behemoth's leg bone, which had its size and pressure sealed.]

[After watching him leave joyfully, Ruan Qingshu, who had come to find you for injection treatment, sighed.]

["Please forgive him, Your Majesty. My father... ever since leaving Blue Star, he has become like this."]

[She glanced at the group of Epic Peak Winged Humans standing on either side of you like statues,]

[Suppressing a certain emotion in her heart.]

[Ruan Qingshu ascended the throne, entered the fast lane, and began receiving treatment.]

[Sometimes in pain, her inner core tense; sometimes relaxed, closing her eyes to comprehend.]

[She was completely different from the cold and heartless Death Empress of rumors, who danced with blood and slaughter.]

[At this moment, challenging the Demon God, she looked very delicate.]

[You still clearly remembered that among the group of people who came from Blue Star,]

[Ruan Qingshu, this Legendary Peak powerhouse who had defected from Blue Star—or rather, joined you to save her life—]

[The moment you first saw her, you saw deep within her mind a consciousness whose essence far exceeded the Mythic level.]

[That was a former taboo!]

[A consciousness that looked exactly like Ruan Qingshu!]

[You still remembered:]

[The other party also seemed to have noticed your prying.]

[Instantly, her face showed horror, her eyes filled with disgust and rejection, wanting to attack you.]

[However, her state was extremely poor; without recovering to her Peak, she was no match for you at all.]

[She could only bully ordinary Mythic Early Stage beings.]

[She was easily defeated and sealed by you, preventing her from influencing Ruan Qingshu further.]

[Seeing that you didn't obliterate her and even seemed to care for Ruan Qingshu, she had no choice but to tell the truth.]

[It was also then that you learned from her mouth that this Councilor who defected from Blue Star,]

[Ruan Qingshu, one of the few deification system Councilors on Blue Star,]

[Had not actually awakened a Soul fragment of a mythical figure, but... she herself was the Reincarnation of the last Underworld Emperor!]

???

Shen Pan's eyes widened slightly as he looked at the plot provided by the System.

Loli Ruan is the Reincarnation of the Underworld Emperor?

That's not right, is it?

It's not that there aren't other powerful mythical figures, but why is she so unique?

Shen Pan looked at the words "last Underworld Emperor" and fell into thought.

Could it be... that this isn't the first time Blue Star has experienced a supernatural Awakening... Spiritual Qi Recovery?

So he continued reading.

[However, after this consciousness reincarnated with her, she didn't want her new self to shoulder the responsibility again.]

[She didn't want to fuse with her new self, throwing the trouble to her future self.]

[So she chose to stay in her new self's mind, acting as a "grandma" mentor to guide herself.]

[But she underestimated one thing: times had changed!]

[The result was as you saw; Ruan Qingshu thought she was about to be possessed.]

[After breaking through to the Epic Rank, almost all of her energy was spent resisting the consciousness in her mind.]

[She even intentionally suppressed her own Breakthrough speed to prevent herself from promoting to Mythic too early.]

[She also constantly searched for poisons and curses that could weaken the Soul and spirit.]

[Every day, she relied on these to counter the consciousness in her head.]

[After ten years of outwitting the air, Ruan Qingshu finally couldn't hold on any longer.]

[She chose to run to an Otherworld to act as a firework, dragging the Otherworld powerhouses down with her to the grave.]

[If you hadn't suppressed the consciousness in her mind, Ruan Qingshu probably would have self-destructed by now.]

[In the end, you asked for her true name.]

[But she shook her head, stating that after taking over the duties of the Underworld Emperor, she no longer had a name.]

[She was simply the Lord of the Underworld!]

[Your thoughts gradually returned, looking at Ruan Qingshu, who was still persevering and working overtime.]

[Then you looked at the other Ruan Qingshu in her mind, who had completely given up and was forced to enjoy herself.]

[You felt it was time for this capable subordinate to break through to the Mythic level!]

[The prerequisite was to let these two reach a reconciliation and let Ruan Qingshu learn her true identity!]

[Quest: Make Ruan Qingshu reconcile with the self in her mind and learn her identity!]

[Reward: One upgrade point, one skill point, and a guaranteed draw of one taboo grade ability (Ruan Qingshu)!]

This quest... is a bit tricky!

Shen Pan looked at Ruan Qingshu, who was arguing with her old man and trying to drive him away.

He didn't know how to complete it.

He remembered Qingshu saying that her other self had gone to grind experience for her.

She had entered a deep AFK mode and couldn't be woken up!

At this time, Jiang Ruolai, who didn't dare join the battlefield, walked over quietly with feline steps.

She tapped Shen Pan's arm.

Then she pointed at Laila, who had her head buried in the fridge, eating fruit and ice cream.

"Shen Pan, Shen Pan, who is she?"

Jiang Ruolai tilted her head cutely, her big eyes blinking as if they could speak:

"She wouldn't happen to be our new sister too, would she?"

"A... glutton who isn't very bright?"

Shen Pan's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

He should have made Laila's appearance more ordinary back then!

"Ruolai, you're overthinking it."

"She's a guide from the Desolate God Realm that I specifically kidna... invited!"